Greenwich First Selectman Peter Tesei, center, and Selectman David Theis, right, celebrate their election victory at the Milbrook Club, Greenwich, Tuesday night, Nov. 8, 2011. At left is Tesei's wife, Jill, who is holding their son, James, 2. less

Greenwich First Selectman Peter Tesei, center, and Selectman David Theis, right, celebrate their election victory at the Milbrook Club, Greenwich, Tuesday night, Nov. 8, 2011. At left is Tesei's wife, Jill, who ... more

Selectman Drew Marzullo watches the election returns at the Democratic campaign headquarters Tuesday, Nov. 8, 2011. Marzullo retained his seat on the Board of Selectmen, while his running mate, John Blankley fell short of capturing the first selectman seat. less

Selectman Drew Marzullo watches the election returns at the Democratic campaign headquarters Tuesday, Nov. 8, 2011. Marzullo retained his seat on the Board of Selectmen, while his running mate, John Blankley ... more

First Selectman Peter Tesei accomplished a rare political three-peat Tuesday night, joining fellow Republican John Margenot Jr. as the only incumbent to win a third term in the town's highest office since it became a full-time job and leading the GOP ticket to a clean sweep in Greenwich.

The 42-year-old married father of two from Cos Cob shellacked businessman John Blankley in the latest landslide by a Republican over a Democrat in the traditionally right-leaning town.

"The third time's the charm," Tesei told a gaggle of reporters at the Milbrook Club, the customary election night haunt of the GOP.

Tesei captured about 71 percent of the vote in an election marked by lower voter turnout despite a contentious GOP race for school board.

With nine of 12 districts reporting as of 10:15 p.m. Tuesday, Tesei had 6,121 votes to Blankley's 2,363. In the selectman's race, Theis pulled in 4,835 votes to Marzullo's 3,469.

Tesei presented himself to the electorate as a trustworthy steward of the town in uncertain economic times who has kept taxes modest and predictable while dedicating finite dollars for a new high school auditorium and central fire station.

"I'm just going to take this term and relish the moment," Tesei said in an interview with Greenwich Time. "I thank the voters for the opportunity to serve two more years."

Blankley called Tesei shortly after 9 p.m. to concede the race, though the writing on the wall became legible for the challenger not long after the polls closed an hour earlier.

"Such is life," Blankley said, eating a plate of penne and sausage at the Democratic campaign headquarters on Field Point Road.

Blankley, 64, tried unsuccessfully to parlay his experience as an oil and shipping executive as qualifying him to lead the town, where he and his family moved from his native England in 1983.

"Looks like your rag got it right, Greenwich is not ready for the hard-charging Mr. Blankley," Blankley said, referring to a editorial in the weekly newspaper, the Greenwich Post.

An RTM member who became a Democrat in 2006 so he could support Ned Lamont in the party's U.S. Senate primary, Blankley runs Flagship Networks Inc., an information technology company with operations in Greenwich and Stratford that employs 30 people. The firm counts Greenwich, Stamford and Yale-New Haven hospitals among its clients, as well as a number of hedge funds.

"I'm looking for a good contract for Flagship Networks," Blankley said, showing a sense of resignation.

The mood at Democratic headquarters quickly turned bleak as the election results trickled in from each of the town's 12 voting districts.

The three seats on the board are filled by the winners in the first selectman and selectman races, as well as the second-place finisher with the most votes in the two races.

"I am so blessed to be an elected official in this town, which is the greatest town in the state of Connecticut," said Theis, 62, a third-generation town resident and former vice chairman of the Republican Town Committee who is a wealth management adviser in town.

Republicans celebrated their latest electoral sweep into the night at the Milbrook Club.

"Greenwich Republicans, how does it feel?" Jim Campbell, chairman of the Republican Town Committee said. "What a night. Let's hear it for Row B."

Among those at the GOP fete was Margenot, who served as first selectman from 1985 to 1995.

Margenot welcomed Tesei to the club of long-tenured first selectmen.

"I think it's a compliment to him," Margenot told Greenwich Time. "He's still got a couple more to go."

Tesei captured 66 percent of the vote in each of the past two elections after leaving the private sector as a vice president of BNY Mellon Wealth Management in Greenwich.

His indoctrination into town government began in 1988, when, as an 18-year-old, Tesei was the youngest person ever to win a seat on the Representative Town Meeting.

After a decade of service on the legislative body, he was elected to the Board of Estimate and Taxation, which is responsible for setting the town's tax rate, considering funding for hundreds of municipal projects and developing the budget. Six of his 10 years on the BET were as its chairman.

"I really appreciate the vote of confidence that will enable me to work with this team of capable leaders to lead the town for the next two years," Tesei said.

Staff writer Neil Vigdor can be reached at neil.vigdor@scni.com or at 203-625-4436.